One Restaurant Remains Open, One Closed, After Major Drug Bust
On West 12th Street in Millcreek, the El Canelo Restaurant is open for business. The U.S. Attorney's Office says that restaurant was the distribution point for multiple kilograms of cocaine and quantities of methamphetamine. According to the U.S. Attorney in Pittsburgh, over 150 kilograms of cocaine were distributed by the drug organization based in Erie from June 2013 to January 2015. That's over 300 pounds.
Erie County Coroner Lyell Cook says, even though cocaine is getting headlines from the bust, heroin is still the popular drug in this area.
"We still see a little bit of cocaine. We haven't had a actual cocaine death in probably a year. Generally, because all of our deaths are "poly-pharmacies", meaning there are more than one drug in the system. A lot of times we'll get hits on cocaine being in the system. But, that's not actually the drug that caused the death," he said.
12News/SEE News also talked with a detective with the Erie Police Vice Unit today and asked about the impact this big bust will have on
the drug trade in this area. He said it will have a ripple effect. He said most drug dealers will be laying low for awhile in fear that more arrests could be made.